Doug Aitken’s EMPIRE one of a suite of off-site projects planned for SFMOMA’s under-construction period

Today SFMOMA makes the official announcement about plans for the period we’ll be under construction, beginning in 2013. Instead of relocating to a temporary home while we’re building, the museum “will use this period to experiment with new ideas, engage in dialogue with a range of cultural partners, and create innovative ways for audiences to experience the museum’s collection.” Think collaborative and traveling exhibitions, site-specific installations, and neighborhood festivals, to unfold throughout the Bay Area and beyond. As the headline says, Doug Aitken’s Empire — a trilogy of video installations reflecting on migration and myths of the West — will be one of many exciting off-site projects happening around and about during the two+ years we’ll be in hard-hat season.

SFMOMA will copresent, with other local institutions, major thematic exhibitions that highlight both iconic and lesser-seen works from all areas of the museum’s collections. In summer 2014 we’ll be working with the Asian Art Museum on a provocative East/West examination of beauty in art from both museums’ collections. The presentation will feature unexpected pairings, like SFMOMA’s Michael Jackson and Bubbles (1988) by Jeff Koons with the Asian Art Museum’s sculpture of a Hindu goddess (as buffalo demon slayer) (1000–1100 A.D.):

Also in 2014 SFMOMA will partner with YBCA, taking as a starting point SFMOMA’s growing collection of photography from South Africa. Reflecting YBCA’s multidisciplinary approach to programming, this collaboration will focus on the work of a few key artists, performers, and writers to consider the cultural geography of the country both during and after apartheid.

And the kickoff to the multi-venue series of off-site collaborations will be at the Contemporary Jewish Museum starting in summer 2013, with a presentation drawn entirely from SFMOMA’s collection, looking at art and spirituality in the 20th and 21st centuries.

Another super-cool bit: The Architecture and Design department is commissioning a floating pavilion from Los Angeles–based architect Greg Lynn, to be docked near Fort Mason. The structure will function as an SFMOMA venue for public programs and also provide a viewing platform for the 2012 America’s Cup races.

For more details on the slate of partnership programming, site-specific installations, outdoor commissions, live art festivals, and all the other excitements, go here.

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4 Comments

SFMOMA should use the empty Kaiser Center right next to the Oakland Museum of California.

June 20th, 2012 at 1:10 am

Suzanne Says:

Nice. That would have been great indeed!

June 20th, 2012 at 10:00 am

blh Says:

Really excited for EMPIRE, when will we know more about the sites and any potential public programs? Greg Lynn is another strong choice. In fact, the Aitken/Lynn interview in Broken Screens was an exceptional read, I hope we get an opportunity to hear them in discussion as part of this program. I’ll go ahead and RSVP now just in case, blh plus one please.

Great job SFMOMA.

June 21st, 2012 at 7:39 am

Suzanne Says:

As sites and programs are firmed up, we’ll announce here, and you can check in at sfmoma.org as well–and thanks for the tip on that interview, blh, I’m going to look for it